Self assistance commode support apparatus and methods

ABSTRACT

A support structure is provided that includes a pair of spaced slanted side hand-arm rails, a commode between the slanted side hand-arm rails each of which are securely fastened to a common, portable, non-slip platform. The Self-Assist Rehab Commode Support is designed so the patient could utilize more of their core strength, to help lift, lower and balance their body weight, for the purpose of assisting the caregiver, during transfers, and when using a commode.

37 C.F.R. § 1.71(e) AUTHORIZATION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the US Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS IF ANY

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/557,949, filed Sep. 13, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX, IF ANY

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, generally, to health care, support and exercise systems, devices and methods. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus and methods for assisting elderly, handicapped, or invalid persons, or persons undergoing rehabilitation to use a commode, a chair like apparatus having a chamber pot.

2. Background Information about the Prior Art

A need exists for support devices to assist senior citizens and others who have lost their mobility to safely use a commode. Many facilities use caregivers, attendants or nurse aides to assist the infirmed when using a commode. Educational transfer videos exist to guide caregivers in proper technique to transfer patients to and from the commode, because transfers may cause back injuries and workman compensation issues. However excessive assistance will accelerate the patient's muscle atrophy making the patient more dependent, ultimately requiring patients to use a catheter earlier, requiring more sedative drugs, and bed cleaning which makes the patient give up and lose their dignity.

It would be beneficial for the infirmed, the caregiver and for the facility to have a commode assistance apparatus that not only provides a more effective support device, when a patient needs a commode, but a support device that would allow the patient to utilize more of the patient's core power, so they can actually assist the caregiver, to reduce caregiver injury and workman's compensation, as well as a support device that the patient can conveniently use to rehab so the patient can eventually use the commode without assistance. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a device that would provide a rehab structure to expedite the patients' recovery and to help the patient become more independent so they can eventually use a bathroom safely on their own.

Existing systems, apparatus, methods, technology are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings.

Support devices in the prior art have not taken into consideration body mechanics and lifting techniques when designed. Best lifting practices suggest keeping a load close to the body and then to move the load smoothly and slowly maintaining a secured footing on a non-slip surface to prevent strains and sprains. These prior art support devices only allow the invalid, patient, or other user (hereinafter, “user”) to use their hands for support and balance when they lift their body from a commode or to resist while lowering their body on to a commode. Using only your hands puts unnecessary strain on the patient's wrist, elbow and shoulder joints. Reaching extends their hands from their body, creating a distance from their hands to the core of their body which weakens their arm strength. So a user using only their hands will limit their strength to lift and lower their body weight. Further, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that over 36 percent of injuries involving missed workdays were the result of shoulder and back injuries. Overexertion and cumulative trauma were the biggest factors in these injuries. When patients and employees use smart lifting practices they are less likely to suffer from sprains, muscle pulls, wrist, elbow, shoulder, hip, knee and back injuries.

Prior patent support bar frames, such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,242, provide horizontal support bars for users to use in order to stand. From a seated position the user must position their elbows down but behind their body so they can grab the support bars with their hands near their waist. They then can push down on these support bars to engage their triceps muscles in their arms to lift their body weight up and forward onto their legs, so their legs can complete the stand. This seated body position replicates a seated dip position.

Problems occur when pushing down on these horizontal support bars from a seated dip position because the user's hands are in a fixed position while their body moves up and forward. This concentrates their body weight to the thumb side of their weak arthritic wrists making it difficult for the user to move their body weight up and forward far enough over their legs so that their legs can complete the standing movement.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,179 attempts to alleviate wrist pain by offering slant support bars, with a gradual 15 to 18 degree slope, which makes these slant support bars easier to grasp and prevents the user's wrists from bending while they push down as opposed to using U.S. Pat. No. 3,574,242 horizontal support bars.

These types of horizontal and slant support bar frames must be positioned between the height of the toilet bowl and the height of the toilet tank. Otherwise these support bars can't be used, as they were designed to be used, by anyone to stand.

Specifically, if a support bar frame was positioned higher than the toilet tank, the user, from a seated dip position, would find it impossible to raise their elbows and hands high enough to grab these higher support bars. This higher support bar position would make these support bars useless because they can't be reached from a seated dip position. This is one reason why prior art support bar frames must be constructed within the scope or the size of a toilet frame.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,011,179 the position of the slant support bar frame is significant. The '179 patent states that it enables the aged to utilize this frame easily by providing hand assist rails with easier hand grips for easier operation and gripping. The maximum height of their slant support bar is relatively equal to the height of the toilet tank. Their entire frame is relatively equal to the size of a toilet frame. Their slant support bar length is relatively equal to the length of the toilet bowl and their support bars end at the front of the toilet seat. FIG. 3 shows a series of holes 42, to position the brackets 44, to attach to any toilet. After their frame brackets have been attached to the toilet there are no more adjustments. Their slant support bars become stationary so any individual must use these slant support bars within the toilet frame without further adjustments.

There are support bar frames that have adjustments that can be made to them, but these adjustments are contained within the scope or the size of a toilet frame such that the support bars do not extend outwardly past the scope or the size of a toilet frame. This is required because all of these support bar frames require the user to use a seated dip position to push down with their hands to lift their body weight up and forward over their legs so their legs can complete the standing movement. This is how these frames were designed to be used.

A summary of the disadvantages of using a seated dip and lower bar position as disclosed in prior art support is as follows:

Using the seated dip position. When truly weak users have only their weak triceps' muscles to push down on these horizontal and slant support bars, they slowly lift their body weight. The problem occurs when the user slowly pushes down and their arms straighten behind their body, they do not have enough forward momentum to get their body weight far enough forward over their legs so their legs can complete the standing movement, so they sit back down.

Using the seated dip position and the lower bar position. If the user has the momentum to get their body weight over their legs, then they have to let go of these lower support bars so they can straighten their legs to stand. However, most users need their arms to support their weak knees, hips, back, and to balance or they might fall.

When the user uses a minor sloped or horizontal support bars they must push down from a fully bent arm and fully bent leg position. A very difficult and weak elbow and leg position to push down from, a lifting design flaw.

When user's use prior patent support bars they lose energy through the entire arm because they are required to push down with their hands through the length of their whole arm, weaker wrist, and weaker elbow joints with the weaker triceps muscles to lift their body weight from a seated dip position.

For these reasons, most users require care givers. However caregivers run the risk of potential injury when the user only has their weaker triceps muscles to assist the caregiver when lifting their body weight. Therefore, users must use a seated dip position to push down on these prior art horizontal and slant support bar frames to lift their body weight. Also, it is understood that prior art support bar frames must be positioned within the size of a toilet frame so that these prior art support bars can be reached to perform their useful standing routine.

For these and other reasons, a need exists for the present invention.

All US patents and patent applications, and all other published documents mentioned anywhere in this application are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention provides a commode assistance apparatus and method which are practical, reliable, safe, and efficient, and which are believed to fulfill a need and to constitute an improvement over the background technology.

Insofar as is known, prior art support/standing frames have not included a support structure having the following combination functionality and structure:

-   -   To support the underside of an user's forwardly raised upper         arms, (arms raised forwardly relatively equal the user's         shoulder height) from a seated position.     -   To use this forwardly raised upper arm position as a new fulcrum         point. To use a new seated body position so that the user can         pull their upper arms back and down with their large back         muscles to lift their body weight instead of pushing down using         their hands and smaller triceps muscles.     -   To place, the lower part of the upper arms and the upper part of         the forearms, in this forwardly raised arm position, lateral to         the users' thighs on to the slant support bars. The elbows are         slightly bent hanging over our slant support bars. The user's         hands rest above but lateral to the user's knees on to our slant         support bars.     -   The slant support bar frame uses a different seated body         position, lifting method/standing routine and the slant support         bar frame is positioned outside the scope of a toilet frame.

Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention, a support structure is provided that provides appropriately positioned slant rails to take advantage of the patient's core strength. Appropriately positioned slant bars give the infirmed more strength to lift and lower their body safely when using a commode. The slant bars utilize the patient's upper arm, along with the patient's whole arm, to give the patient the best ability to safely control their body weight during the standing or sitting movement when using a commode. This then increases the patient's ability to assist the caregiver to reduce the amount of the patient's body weight the caregiver has to bear. This then increases the potential for prevention of caregiver injury and corresponding workman's compensation claims.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a support structure is provided with slanted hand-arm rails secured to a platform to improve senior citizens, invalids, and patients strength, stability and mobility who have grown weak from aging, arthritis, stroke, heart attack, leukemia, had a portion of their colon removed, colitis, an injury, who can not safely maneuver to a bathroom in time, who are no longer capable of lifting and lowering their body weight safely when using a commode. The Self-Assist Rehab Commode structure of the present invention enables the patient to utilize more of their core strength, more so than any other self support device ever made. One benefit of this is to minimize the patient's work load. And if assistance is required, to reduce the work load on the caregiver. This support structure can be utilized by family members at home, assisted living community or nursing homes looking for independent living equipment intended to allow an infirmed with limited ability to safely and independently use a commode without the risk of falling. This support structure can additionally be utilized by those who have the capacity to be rehabilitated to expedite the patient's recovery. A goal is to get the patient back to using their own bathroom.

According to another aspect of the invention, the support structure includes an arm rail attached to a platform, or a pair of arm rails attached to the platform that are designed with body mechanics and lifting techniques in mind. The support structure allows the patient to keep the weight being lifted, i.e., the body weight of the individual, close to the body during the heaviest part of a lift so the individual can smoothly control the rise and lowering of their body when using a commode. At a minimum, it will allow the patient to safely move their own body weight, with assistance, more effectively than other prior art commode support devices.

According to another aspect of the invention, the support structure is positioned outside of the normal scope of a toilet frame and functions to enable the patient to use their whole arm(s) at a contact point on the structure close to the core of their body to support their body weight when they rise and lower from the commode. When the patient lowers their body on to a commode the patient uses the slanted side rail bars as a fulcrum along their hands, forearms and upper arm. The middle of their biceps-triceps area is closer to the core of their body which gives the patient more power than using just their hands. The slant bars allows the patient to redistribute their body weight from their legs to stronger points of their arms. As the patient lowers their body they place their arms along the slanted bars. From a standing position, ready to sit on to the commode, the patient leans their buttocks back to lower their body on to the commode, their body weight is redistributed or shifted from their legs and hands to their hands, forearms and legs. Then, as the patient continues to lower their body their elbows will slide out, along the soft cushioned bars, while they keep their hands and forearms on the slant bars, so that the middle of their upper arms rest on the bars, as well as their hands and forearms. Their whole arm controls their descent, which gives them more strength to support their body weight to complete their descent slowly on to the commode. The advantage over other commodes is that the patient's entire arm controls their descent, not just their hands.

Conversely, when a person tries to raise their body from a commode the patient contacts the slant bars with the middle of their upper arms, forearms and hands. This placement of the patient's body weight on to the stronger upper middle part of their arms, gives the patient more leverage when they use their huge core back muscles to start the heaviest part of the lift. This gives the patient the ability to help the caregiver lift their body from the commode or when lowering their body on to the commode. As the patient is closer to a standing position, their body weight has transferred more so to their legs and less on their arms, so as they rise only the forearms and hands are needed to be used to stand the rest of the way up.

The aspects, features, advantages, benefits and objects of the invention will become clear to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description, claims and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The present invention, and the manner and process of making and using it, will be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the following drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a device of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternate version of the first embodiment of the device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the device.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a third embodiment of the device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the device.

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a sixth embodiment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a basic or first embodiment of a self assist commode support device 10 includes a base 12, and a pair of side supports 14 joined by a rear horizontal support bar 16. The side supports 12 each include a front leg 18, a rear leg 20 and an inclined bar 22 joining the front leg 18 and the rear leg 20. The rear leg 20 is longer than the front leg 18, such that the inclined bar 20 slopes downwardly from the rear leg 20 to the front leg 18. A commode 30 is positioned between the side supports and can optionally be engaged with the horizontal bar 16 to secure the chair 30 relative to the support structure 10.

In a preferred embodiment, the side supports 14 are connected to the base 12 by flanges 40. The platform 24 can also include wheel assemblies 42 on one end in order to facilitate the movement of the platform 24 and the support structure 10 positioned thereon.

In use, to lower oneself onto chair 30, the user must first grasp the angled support bars 22 on each side and then walk their body between the bars 22. Referring to the pivot routine in FIGS. 12A-D, the user will pivot their body by shuffling their feet around, stop to reposition their hands on the bars 22, then continue pivoting until their backside locates the relative center of the support structure 10 and the chair 30.

The angled bars 22 slant towards the user, thus providing a ready point of contact for the user's entire arm as they lower their body onto the support structure 10. As the user allows their elbows to bend, lowering their body to sit rearwardly towards the chair 30, their forearms and then elbows come into contact with the angled bar 22. At this point the user will control the descent by allowing their elbows, forearms and upper arms to slide outwardly along the soft cushioned bars 22. They control the speed of their sliding descent by squeezing the inside of their forearms, upper arms and hands, towards their torso, against the bars 22 to slowly sit down. This sliding movement along the angled bars 22 places the heaviest part of the user's body weight onto the user's stronger upper arms, controlled by their larger back muscles and torso to allow the user to safely control their descent onto the chair 30.

This new self-assist safety slant support bar frame attached to a toilet, elevated seat riser, commode, chair, couch, wheel chair, scooter or bed will give the user an optimized opportunity to recover and to use the bathroom on their own, or to at least enable them to use stronger muscles in their body to help their care giver more effectively to prevent injury. To elevate from the chair 30, the individual can place their upper arms and/or shoulders against the slanted bars 22 and can press downwardly with the shoulders and torso, as opposed to having to pull only with the hands and arms. This process of engagement of the shoulders and torso of the individual provides significantly more force and control by the individual in raising and lowering their body relative to the chair 30.

Referring to the standing routine in FIGS. 11A-D, for an user to lift their body off of chair 30, they must first place their body in a position to make the lift easier. The user must first lean slightly forward and raise their arms forward slightly above their shoulder height. With elbows slightly bent, they will place the underside of their upper arms, 3 inches above their elbows, onto the slant support bars 22, lateral to their thighs. Their hands and forearms are placed on to the slant support bars 22 so that their hands are positioned lateral to the user's knees. From this seated position the user will pull their upper arms back and down using their back muscles. The slant support bar 22 has a preferred 37 degree slope to help the user to rock and lift their body weight up and forward as they pull their upper arms back and down. As the user raises their body up and forward their elbows will slide in towards their body, along the preferably soft cushioned slant support bars 22, until their elbows and forearms fully rest on to the slant support bars 22. Their upper arms, between their shoulders and elbows, are now perpendicular to the slant support bars 22 and are propping up their body weight. At this point their hands and forearms are used to stabilize this position giving the user time. (for their arthritic knees, hips, or legs, which might have numbed after sitting too long), time to adjust or acclimate before they prepare to stand the rest of the way up.

Now the user is three quarters of the way through the standing routine. The user effectively transferred their body weight from their upper arms to their legs, upper arm bones (which are propping up their body weight), forearms and hands. The user's shoulders and body weight are now over their feet. Their leg and arm joints are in a slightly bent position, a more powerful upper and lower limb position to pull and push down to stand. To finish the stand the user simply lifts one elbow off the slant support bar 22A and then the other elbow off the other slant support bar 22B to easily pull and press down with their hands, while their legs push down to stand the rest of the way up. After standing, the vertical support 18 and slant support bar 22 extend past the seat which makes it safer for the user to pivot, without bending over, to transfer to another apparatus or rest area.

Referring to FIG. 4, an alternative version of the first embodiment is depicted in which both the front leg 18 and the rear leg 20 are adjustable in height by selectively engaging flanges 40 with the legs 18, 20 at the desired heights using a push-button adjustment apparatus 50. Further, the slanted bar 20 can be joined to the front leg 18 and the rear leg 20 using a suitable mechanism 52 that enables the connection between the slanted bar 20 and the front leg 16 and/or rear leg 18 to be adjusted in width and/or in length. The flanges 40 and/or the legs 18, 20 may be secured directly to the base 12 that provides a stable surface on which the side supports 14 can be positioned to prevent any components from sliding while in use.

Some of the advantages of the slant support bar 22 include:

A new higher and more forward slant support frame position, as it relates to the seated position, creates a new lifting technique to allow the user to lift their body up farther and more forward over their legs more effectively and easier than on other standing frames.

A new more powerful seated body position with forwardly raised arms to access more powerful back muscles, specifically, (the Latissimus Dorsi, Teres and Rhomboid muscles) to pull the upper arms, backwards and down to create more momentum.

A new fulcrum point, placing the user's upper arms on to the slant support bars, brings the user's body weight closer to the core of the body which makes them stronger and allows the user to lift their body weight up farther and more forward than before with greater ease.

This new fulcrum point on the upper arm bypasses the energy lost with prior art horizontal and slant support bars which require the user to push down with their hands to lift their body weight through the user's entire arm and weaker elbow and wrist joints.

Hands and forearms are in front of the body to stabilize and maintain balance during our entire standing routine.

Our greater sloped slant support bars creates a useful leverage point during the heaviest part of the lift to rock the user more up and more forward as the user pulls back and down with their upper arms to create better momentum.

The user utilizes their stronger muscle groups and better leverage to pull their upper arms back and down to lift their body weight, not pushing down with the hands, a completely different lifting technique.

A better standing routine with a slanted bar position which extends past seat offering continuous arm support to assist the legs for better balance and stability to pivot, without bending over, while holding on to the slanted bars so the user can transfer to another apparatus or resting area more safely making our slant support bar frame safer to use.

A superiorly positioned slant support bar frame requires a new body position and a new standing method/routine. Users cannot use such a seated body position and new standing routine on prior art horizontal or slant support bars because prior art standing frames are positioned too low to support forwardly raised arms. Users cannot use a seated dip position to push down on our new slant support bars because our slant support bars are positioned too high and too far forward to reach from a seated dip position. This clearly shows the contrast when the lifting routine of the present invention can't be used on prior support bars frame and vise versa. The self assist safety slant support bar frame of the invention attached to a toilet, seat riser, commode, chair, couch, wheel chair, scooter or bed will give the user the best chance to get back their independence and dignity or at least give the user access to use their stronger muscle groups to help the caregiver so they don't get injured.

Referring to FIG. 5, in a second embodiment, a support structure 110 consists of a base 112, a commode chair 130 having side supports 114 directly connected to the chair 130. The side supports 114 are connected by a horizontal bar 116. Each side support features a front leg 118 that also serves as a front leg of the chair 130, a rear leg 120 which is connected to the horizontal bar 116, and an angled bar 122 connecting the front and rear legs 118,120 such that the angled bar 122 slopes downward from the connection at the rear leg to the connection at the front leg. The chair 130 also features flanges 140 connected between the chair 130 and the base 112.

Referring to FIG. 6, in a third embodiment, a support structure 210 uses a flush toilet as a base 212. Side supports 214 are connected to the upper surface of the bowl of the toilet 212, and to each other by at least one horizontal bar 216 running between the base of front legs 218 and/or between the base of rear legs 220. Angled bars 222 connect each rear leg 220 to each front leg 218 on respective sides of the toilet 212.

Referring to FIG. 7, in a fourth embodiment, a support structure 310 uses a flush toilet as a base 312. Side supports 314 rest on the base 312, and the side supports are joined by a horizontal bar 316 running across the rear of the base 312. This embodiment does not employ rear legs, but rather has side bars 318 connected to ends of the horizontal bar 316. The side bars 318 extend horizontally to the front of the toilet 312, where front legs 320 are connected and extend upwards. Angled bars 322 are connected to the upper ends of the front legs 320, and extend rearward at an angle approximately 45 degrees from vertical.

Referring to FIG. 8, in a fifth embodiment, a support structure 410 is analogous to structure 310, with the main difference of being independently supported, rather than using a toilet as a base. Structure 410 consists of side supports 414, a horizontal bar 416 across the rear, side bars 418 connected to ends of the horizontal bar 416, and front legs 420. The front stands extend vertically from the ground, preferably include non-slip feet 422 at the bottom for stability, and attach to the side supports 414 near the base of front arms 424. Front arms 424 are attached at their bottom end to the front ends of side bars 418. Front arms 424 extend upwards and are joined at the upper end to angled bars 426. Angled bars 426 extend rearward at an angle approximately 45 degrees from vertical.

Referring to FIG. 9, in a sixth embodiment, a support structure 510 is analogous to structure 210, with the main difference of being independently supported, as in structure 410, rather than using a toilet as a base. Side supports 514 are connected at the rear by a horizontal bar 516. The side supports 514 consist of front arms 518, rear arms 520, and angled bars 522 which connect the top of the relatively lower front arms 518 to the top of the relatively higher rear arms 520. The structure 500 may be constructed with additional front legs 524 pivotally connected below the front arms 518 so that the forward angle can be adjusted to accommodate the particular individual.

In some embodiments of the invention, the angle or the degree of the slope in the slanted support bars 22 is from a 25 degree slope to 45 degree slope. In some embodiments, the length of the slanted support bars 22 is from 12 inches-40 inches in length. In some embodiments, the width between the slanted support bars 22 is from 20-40 inches between the sides of the structure 10. Further, in other embodiments of the invention, the support arms or bars can angle inwardly or outwardly from the front legs to the rear legs. In some embodiments, the height of the lowermost point of the support bar is from 30 inches-55 inches from the support surface to the slant support bar, which corresponds to the height of the user's shoulder above the user's thigh, which is positioned on the seat, in order to accommodate the placement of the user's forwardly raised arms on the support bars. In some embodiments, the attachment of the front legs and/or rear legs to the slant support bars can be anywhere within 16 inches in back of or in front of the seat or attached to the seated frame itself. The front of the slope must extend to the knee of the user so they have room for their hands and feet to pivot after they stand.

The embodiments above are chosen, described and illustrated so that persons skilled in the art will be able to understand the invention and the manner and process of making and using it. The descriptions and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not the exhaustive or limited sense. The invention is not intended to be limited to the exact forms disclosed. While the application attempts to disclose all of the embodiments of the invention that are reasonably foreseeable, there may be unforeseeable insubstantial modifications that remain as equivalents. It should be understood by persons skilled in the art that there may be other embodiments than those disclosed which fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Where a claim, if any, is expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function it is intended that such claim be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof, including both structural equivalents and equivalent structures, material-based equivalents and equivalent materials, and act-based equivalents and equivalent acts. 

I claim:
 1. A commode support apparatus, comprising a base adapted to have a commode placed in a center region of the base, a first support disposed on the base to one side of the center region, and a second support disposed on the base to the opposite side of the center region, the first and second supports being separated a predetermined distance away from each other whereby the commode is adapted to be centered between the first and second supports, each support including a back leg having a predetermined height, a front leg having a predetermined height less than that of the back leg, and an inclined bar joining the back leg to the front leg.
 2. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base has a predetermined area and a predetermined thickness.
 3. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distance between the side supports is between 20 and 40 inches.
 4. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the angle of incline of the inclined bar is between 25 and 45 degrees from the horizontal.
 5. The commode support apparatus of claim 4, wherein the angle of incline of the inclined bar is 37 degrees, from the horizontal.
 6. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inclined bars have a predetermined diameter.
 7. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inclined bars have a predetermined length.
 8. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inclined bars are laterally adjustable.
 9. The commode support apparatus of claim 8, wherein the adjustment mechanisms are located at connecting points between the inclined bars and the front and back legs.
 10. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inclined bar is surrounded by a soft, cushioning material.
 11. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the front and back legs of the side support are configured for telescoping vertical adjustment.
 12. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising flanges that connect the first and the second support to the base.
 13. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a at least one horizontal bar connected between the first and second supports.
 14. The commode support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the at least one horizontal bar is disposed at the back legs of the supports.
 15. The commode support apparatus of claim 14, wherein the horizontal bar is disposed at a height even with the seat of the commode chair.
 16. The commode support apparatus of claim 13, wherein the commode chair is connected to the horizontal bar for stability.
 17. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, further comprising wheel assemblies connected to one side of the base, which are configured to bear the weight of the device when the device is tipped to the side with the wheel assemblies.
 18. The commode support apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is used to assist a person in sitting and standing.
 19. A commode support apparatus, comprising a base adapted to have a commode placed in a center region of the base, a first support disposed on the base to one side of the center region, and a second support disposed on the base to the opposite side of the center region, the first and second supports being separated a predetermined distance away from each other whereby the commode is adapted to be centered between the first and second supports, each support including a back leg having a predetermined height, a front leg having a predetermined height less than that of the back leg, and an inclined bar joining the back leg to the front leg, and wherein the base has a predetermined area and a predetermined thickness, and wherein the inclined bars are configured for lateral adjustment.
 20. A commode support apparatus, comprising a base adapted to have a commode placed in a center region of the base, a first support disposed on the base to one side of the center region, and a second support disposed on the base to the opposite side of the center region, the first and second supports being separated a predetermined distance away from each other whereby the commode is adapted to be centered between the first and second supports, each support including a back leg having a predetermined height, a front leg having a predetermined height less than that of the back leg, and an inclined bar joining the back leg to the front leg, and wherein the base has a predetermined area and a predetermined thickness, and wherein the inclined bars are configured for lateral adjustment, and wherein the inclined bar is surrounded by a soft, cushioning material, and wherein the front and back legs of the side support are configured for telescoping vertical adjustment. 